The Will of God

So, this week I want to flesh that out in the context of The Lord’s Prayer. First we know we pray to God so, when we refer to “Thy will,” we know it to be the will of our Father who resides in heaven. Next week Rachel Schmoyer will talk about where His will is to be done: on earth.

Jesus gave us the perfect example of doing God’s will on earth as it is in heaven. He prayed according to the model He taught as He wept blood in the Garden of Gethsemene before His crucifixion:

“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me;

nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Matthew 26:39

Jesus knew He was sent to do the will of His Father and He was obedient. Even more than suffering a criminal’s death on a cross to atone for our sins, He knew taking God’s wrath for our sins would mean being separated from His Father for a time. We know it wasn’t what He wanted, yet He submitted to the will of His Father for the sake of love.

Thy Will Be Done Despite my Desires

Our Father who art in heaven reveals His will to us through His Word and as we read it, the power of the Holy Spirit works in our hearts and minds to equip us with the power and desire to do the good and perfect will of God despite our desires.

It is normal to wrestle with this. In fact, I believe that is what Paul means when he says in Philippians 2:12 we ought to work out our salvation. Not that we should earn it, but that as we study the Word of God and increase our understanding of His will, we become more and more aware of how our fleshly desires are in opposition to God’s will. So, as we work out this disparity between His will our our desires the Holy Spirit transforms us into the image of God – sanctifying us, helping us become the masterpieces He created us to be.

God’s will is not naturally our own. It is normal to desire more pleasant things than the testing of our faith or His holy discipline. It is perfectly acceptable to ask for our desires. The cancer to be cured. The child to be conceived. The prodigal to return. The marriage to be restored. The hiring to happen. The house to sell. God knows we want them. But when we pray, “Thy will be done,” as Jesus taught us we acknowledge that God’s ways are higher than our own, that His will is beyond our understanding, that His wisdom is unsearchable, and that His ways are perfect. Even if we don’t understand them. We acknowledge that He is God and we are not. We concede that His will is superior to our wants.

Thy Will Be Done

God’s will will be done and no power on earth or in heaven can put a stop to it. So what are we really asking when we pray, “thy will be done?” We are looking for the Holy Spirit to give us the power and desire to do God’s will and the strength to accept His will in our lives. No matter what may come.

How does this change your perspective of The Lord’s Prayer or deepen your understanding of God’s will in your life?

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2 thoughts on “Word Nerd Wednesday – Thy Will Be Done”

Focusing on His will and relinquishing my desires is a path to peace for me. I’m currently wrestling with the fear of the movers losing/breaking/delaying delivery of our belongings to our next home. I’ve discovered in the past year how much control is an idol for me and I know I’m choosing to worship control instead of God and not trusting in His ability to provide for us. This post fits in perfectly with my goal of praying for His will to be done in this, knowing that He will provide everything my family needs and carry me through any suffering. I’m trying to rest in that truth!